Title:    Fixed on You
Author:    Laurelin Paige
Release date:    June 2013
Age Group:    Adult
Genre:    Contemporary Romance

Stalking and restraining orders are a thing of Alayna Pierce’s past. With her MBA newly in hand, she has her future figured out – move up at the nightclub she works at and marry the manager, David. He’s perfect for her because, although he’s attractive, he doesn’t get her all turned inside out and upside down like some other men have. It’s a safe plan, one that assures she’ll remain in control of her obsessive love disorder.

But what Alayna didn’t figure on is Hudson Pierce, the new owner of the nightclub. He’s smart, rich, and gorgeous – the kind of guy Alayna knows to stay away from if she wants to keep her past tendencies in check. Except, Hudson’s fixed his sights on her. He wants her in his bed and makes no secret of his plans to seduce her. Avoiding him becomes impossible after he offers a business proposition Alayna can’t turn down and she’s drawn further into his universe, unable to resist his gravitational pull.

Soon Alayna’s charmed by Hudson in every way possible and the control over her old behaviors slip. When she learns Hudson has a dark history of his own, she realizes too late that she’s fallen for the worst man she could possibly get involved with. Or maybe their less than ideal pasts give them an opportunity to heal each other and finally find the love their lives have been missing.

Fixed on You by Laurelin Paige

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

5 “precious” Kisses!

My heart is full. Very full. Of love. Of promise. Of possibilities. That is what this book has brought me. Oh…and because I’m a dirty book whore, my heart is full of lust. Because jeez louise as much as this book angst’d the crap out of my heart, it equally filled it up with desire and longing…and horniness. Just sayin’… I really had no idea where this book was going to take me, but wow am I more than pleasantly surprised. I couldn’t put this book down, read it in less than a day. Devoured it because that’s what it did to me. It devoured me…mind, body and soul, and I couldn’t get enough! I’m begging for more! Give me more Hudson!!! *deep calming breaths*

Alayna ‘Laynie’ Withers…she’s a 26 year old bombshell with long brown hair and actual brains to go along with all those good looks. She’s graduating with her MBA from Stern…yet she’s a bit of a contradiction because while some would be looking for a job in the field where you get your degree from, Laynie is quite alright staying right where she is…working as a bartender at The Sky Launch Nightclub. But that’s a different issue….of course she’s a catch, she has to be to garner the eye of a certain über rich mogul, but beneath the gorgeous exterior lies a mentally troubled girl. The death of her parents when she was younger left her in a fragile state. Something that wasn’t handled as quickly as it should have been. She was raised by her older brother, leaving their relationship in less than stellar shape because who wants to have to deal with a teenage girl with ‘issues’. But the past is in the past, Laynie is making progress…until he sits down at her bar.

‘“I so got this.” I so didn’t have it. Not with Mr. Draw-Laynie-To-Me-Whatever-The-Cost-To-Her-Sanity sitting at the end of the bar.’

Hudson Pierce – Mr. All Business, Mr. No Emotions, Mr. Holy-shit-you’re-so-freaking-hot-just-screw-me. Hmm…may have gotten carried away with that one. He’s 29 with floppy brown hair and intense grey eyes that just scream ‘fuck me’…or maybe I just screamed that while I was reading about him. There is just something about a dark, brooding, self-contained businessman that just does it for me in all kinds of delicious ways, and Hudson Pierce did that. Very well. It wasn’t just all those good looks and sex appeal that did it for me, there is more to Hudson, I promise. He’s successful and intelligent and says the most drool worthy things, but when you combine all that in such a steamy package…well, that’s just kryptonite for me. 🙂 So…there’s a…’deal’ if you will, I don’t wanna spoil the deal because that was the jaw drop moment for me and I’d hate to steal that from someone. I didn’t see it coming…and I loved it.

‘He lowered his head to my ear. “Wait, Alayna.” His breath tickled and burned simultaneously. I closed my eyes, taking it in, bearing it. “I apologize for overwhelming you. That wasn’t my intent. But I want you to know that whether or not you decide to help with my situation, I will continue to seduce you. I’m a man who gets what he wants. And I want you.”
Um, holy wow.
Turned on did not begin to describe how his statement made me feel.’

So welcome to the world of ‘girl with obsessive issues’ meets ‘boy with love and commitment issues’…two people with ‘less than ideal pasts’ that you really shouldn’t want to be together, but damn it, they’re just so flippin’ perfect for each other. He and Laynie have a lot in common in the mental issues department. She loves too much, to the point of obsession and he doesn’t love at all. It’s sex with Hudson…take it or leave – and GOD Bless America, does Laynie ever take it. But seriously, it’s better to have Hudson than to not have him at all. You couldn’t put a better couple together than Alayna (because he doesn’t call her Laynie) and H (her nick name for him….and yes I think it’s the cutest thing on the planet). I can’t lie…the physical aspect of their relationship hooked me first. Hello…this would be a red alert on the ‘panty melting’ – like sweet Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus did this book set me on fire.

He let out a brief laugh, as if he recognized his own vulnerability and it amused him or confounded him. “I’m drawn to you, Alayna. Not because I want to hurt you or make you feel a certain way, but because you’re beautiful and sexy and smart and, yes, a little crazy, maybe, but you’re not broken. And that makes me hopeful. For me.”

I have no shame, clearly, with what I am about to say…this book had me panting. I could feel their chemistry. It was electric. Their connection, their desire, all of it was just so…freaking….HOT! I couldn’t get enough. They might be able to deny soooo many things, their feelings, the reality of the situation, anything else – but the one thing they cannot deny is their physical attraction to each other and the fact that they are sexually very compatible. This book is in it’s own category in my brain because the sex scenes were worthy of an erotica book, but the plot, writing, characters, everything else was 100% contemporary romance…it was an amazingly well meshed blend. And there is so much more to this book than all the hotness…there’s Hudson’s evil mother (I’m not exaggerating…she is evil), the possibly evil ‘friend’ Celia…there’s drama with Laynie’s brother…so, it’s not all smooth sailing and hot sex…but I tell you that’s why it hooked me! If I wasn’t all tied up in knots over angst, I was gasping for breath over the sexual chemistry between these two. Win/Win if you ask me!

‘He labeled it as a kiss for our distant spectators, but it was completely ours—a harmonic blending of him and me, so thoroughly fused I could no longer remember where he began, where I ended, whose taste belonged to who. And it was more—a love song without words, a promise without fear. It was a spark, a beginning of something new.’

Holy crap do I need their sequel. God Bless Miss. Paige for not cliffing me, which I thought she might do there for a hot second, but she didn’t…so they’re happy, I’m happy…but we could all be happier. I need my ‘finality’ with them, they’ve worked very hard to get where they are and now they need a conclusion. A beautiful one, that I may have already dreamed up in my imagination – but I have a feeling the actual version will be a million times better. I have yet to be anything less than thrilled to bits with what I have read…I doubt Found In You will be anything short of amazing.

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Laurelin is giving away a $50 Amazon or Barns and Noble Gift Card – who couldn’t use some more money for books?? 🙂  Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway or click the image below

Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s

probably singing, watching Mad Men and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine. She is represented by Bob Diforio of D4EO Literary Agency.

Travis Walker, the oldest of the seven Walker brothers, has been referred to as moody and mysterious, and for the most part, he would agree. Until recently, he spent his days helping his brothers run the family business. Now, he dedicates his time and energy to building a resort, Alluring Indulgence, that caters to fetishes and fantasies. And despite his attempt to work himself into the ground, Travis has never denied – at least not to himself – that something is missing.

Ten years ago, Travis made the hardest decision of his life, breaking his own heart in the

process. A decade later, he is learning that life has a strange way of turning things upside down before placing the pieces exactly where they were meant to go?

Travis by Nicole Edwards

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, so I think I should start this off with 6 reasons why I LOVE Travis Walker.

1. The man is 6’5’’. SIX FEET, FIVE INCHES! Need I say more?
2. He is “confident, arrogant, whole-heartedly sure of himself.” Yes. Please!
3. He drinks Southern Comfort. Ummm HELLOOOO. SoCo is MY drink. We are soul mates. I knew it.
4. He is building a fetish/fantasy resort-Alluring Indulgence. Where do I sign up? Can I get a VIP exclusive?
5. He is a southern boy with the best family anyone could ask for. Melt my heart.
6. Travis is protective over those he loves and cares about. What more could you ask for?

I promise you I could go on and on with this little list of mine but I won’t torcher you anymore than I already have with the amazingness that is also known as Travis Walker. *sigh* I was drawn to him from the beginning-in book one, Kaleb. There was this mysterious side to Travis that I couldn’t wait to delve in to. There is just so much to be said about this man. I mean, come on, he is the oldest of SEVEN boys.

Just like I have done with my other reviews for the Walker Boys I will do it again in this one. Here we go, in order, I give you…
The Walker Brothers
: Travis, Sawyer, Kaleb, Braydon and Brendon (twins), Ethan, and Zane. Did I mention that they are all sexy, southern, farm boys? Oh, and that they each get their own book? Yeah, Nicole Edwards sure knows what she is going with these boys and I am officially hooked!

Alright so it’s no secret that Travis made a very big, very hard decision in his past. He walked away from something that, at the time, he thought was for the best, but even after 10 years, he isn’t sure he ever made the right decision. He knew that he would always need something…more. Hearts were broken, lives were turned upside down, and two people were never the same. But no worries, it all comes out. And before you go getting all excited…calm down, I am not going to spoil it for you.

Just like the first day he laid eyes on her almost eleven years ago, the woman stole his breath right out of his lungs without a please or thank you.

We are introduced to the gorgeous, sweet, Kylie Prescott. Kylie is one hell of a woman. She’s been through her fair share of shit in the past 10 years and is getting ready to be dealt another fucked up hand and let me tell you, she is sooooo not prepared. If she was shocked…well let me just tell you I was doing a whole lot of ‘oh fuck’s!!

“Don’t tell me you have trouble sleeping at night because you think you’re different.”

He peered over at her, pinning her with a glare. Then he snapped. “I don’t have trouble sleeping at night. I can’t fucking at night. I haven’t been able to sleep for ten fucking years, dammit. You think this was fucking wasy for me? That walking away from you was the end to my problems?”

Travis is obviously a part of Kylie’s past and I don’t think either of them now how to handle the current situation. But there is no denying it..the chemistry is over-freaking-flowing.

She was country from head to toe and, truthfully, it wouldn’t matter what she was wearing, she still manages to give him a damned hard on just by breathing.,/b>

Oh, Travis. You really are a lost cause here aren’t you? Well, make that him and Kylie both.

Travis Walker was dangerous. To her sanity.

It’s obvious that there is whole hell of a lot of talking that needs to take place and add that to the already fucked up situation involving one more…umm…person. Well yeah, things just got a whole lot complicated.

…she knew from grade school math that one plus one did not equal three.

Hmmmm or does it, Miss Kylie?!?!

Okay okay! Before I get too close to this being a “spoilerish review”, I will stop with the details. It’s hard though because seriously, this is my favorite Alluring Indulgence Book so far. I have been looking forward to reading Travis’ book since book one. He really is everything I hoped for in his book.

I did not want to put this book down. There wasn’t a single line that I wasn’t absolutely engrossed in and I loved how we got to see ALL sides of this amazing story. Not one, not two…well you get the picture.

Oh, and if you have read Kaleb and Zane, well I have to say, I think the heat was definitely turned up in Travis. Seriously, it’s like…wait? what? Panties…what panties? Did I put any on? Did I take them off? Oh wait, did they melt off? Yeah, something like that.

Be prepared because I think Nicole’s goal while writing this was: I think I shall keep my readers in a constant state of arousal (insert evil laugh). Hey, I’m not complaining. All I am saying is that if these Walker Boys were real, my happy ass would be in route to Coyote Ridge with my bags packed (sans panties, of course)!!

All right, well I am thinking I should probably wrap this up before I start going into more details or start mentioning more names. GAH!! This is killing me!! Just go read it…and then come talk to me. Because really, this was THE hardest spoiler-free review I have EVER written!! So with that, I will leave you with a few of my favorite quotes:

“Making love to you healed my soul, Kylie. Being with you was more than I ever dreamt it to be, but it…wasn’t enough.”

———————————————————————–

God, she just had an orgasm. By dry humping Travis.

———————————————————————–

Whatever this attraction was between them, it was potent. If it had to have a warning label, it would read: handle with care – contents under pressure.

———————————————————————–

…and the only thing better than donuts was…well, donuts covered in chocolate.

———————————————————————–

Shit, she was like a drug. One he’d become addicted to and after ten years of rehab, he found he still couldn’t deny the need.

HAPPY READING, Y’ALL!!!

View all my reviews

♥Check out my Kaleb Review here

♥Check out my Zane Review here

Grand prize giveaway: Total of 8 winners. Prizes are:  

(4) $50.00 Amazon Gift Cards

(2) signed copies of Travis

(2) Alluring Indulgence Drink ware sets: 1 AI shot Glass, 1 AI Pint
Glass, 1 Alluring Indulgence Mini Flask Necklaces

About me… hmmm…

Ok, I’ve been asked to provide a little bit of “real” information about myself. That’s harder to do than you think it is, especially for someone who has difficulty talking about themselves. 😉 But, here goes…

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was a kid, I loved creative writing and as I got older, I got acquainted with those voices in my head and that led to putting my stories on paper. And now, here I am all these years later, spending my days doing what I love most. I decided to give myself over to writing full time in 2012 and I haven’t looked back. I spent nearly 13 years in the corporate world and I have to say, this is a bit of a change (just a little) and I am loving every second of it.

I live in Texas with my husband and three amazing kids and our two beloved dogs. If I’m not writing, I’m usually reading. I devour everything I can get my hands on. I love romance of any type and being an Indie author myself, I’m always looking for new Indies to support. I haven’t always been into reading, but about eleven years ago, I picked up a book – I’m pretty sure it was by Nora Roberts – and from there, I haven’t stopped. Before I began writing full time, and my characters started taking up so much of my time, I was reading about 200 books a year. That has dwindled somewhat, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t read.

An interesting fact… I don’t watch television – aside from the occasional news anyway. I will go see a movie or two rarely, but for the most part, I get all of my entertainment from a book. Some of my favorite authors include J.R. Ward, Suzanne Brockmann, Lora Leigh, Jane Rylon, Lori Foster, and Jaci Burton just to name a few.

**Connect with Nicole**

Website: click here

Scheduled Release Date:   September 24, 2013

Cover Designed by:  Renae Porter of Social Butterfly Creative

Keeping others safe is what Caleb Montgomery does. He’s never had a problem taking on an assignment, whether it was during his dangerous SEAL days or his most recent job of training war mercenaries. But being assigned to keep Brynna Vincent and her adorable daughters, Maddie and Josie, safe from an unknown threat has thrown Caleb off his axis. Hot for the tall brunette since she came back to town more than a year ago, being close to her day in and day out is cracking Caleb’s resolve to keep his hands off her gorgeous body and his head in the mission.

Brynna is sick and tired of being afraid. All she wants is a normal, quiet life for her and her precious girls. Just as she’s settling into her new home in Seattle and feeling safe again, Caleb shows up on her doorstep insisting the danger is as high as ever. But whether she needs to be sheltered from the threat in her past, or from the intense emotions she feels for the sexy, protective man sleeping in her home, remains to be seen. What will happen if Brynna and her girls fall in love with a man so broken he may not be able to protect them from the danger that threatens, much less himself?”

SAFE WITH ME is the fifth book in the With Me In Seattle series, and continues to follow this tight-knit, loving family through life’s trials and tribulations with humor, passion and everlasting love.

I have no way to stress how excited I am about this book.  This is one of my favorite series ever and Caleb is going to be amazing, I can already tell. 

“Deny it if you want to,” Meg smirks and glances out the back window. “Damn,” she whispers.

“What is it?” Nat asks and rises from the table to see what Meg is looking at. Her eyes widen and she glances back at me and then outside again. “Holy shit.”

I know exactly what they’re watching.

Or, who.

And yes, it is a sight to behold.

“How do you ever get anything done around here?” Meg asks as I rise and lean against the sliding glass door, coffee cradled in my hands, and watch the sexy man in my backyard. “I’d just stand around and watch him all day.”

“Uh, Meg,” I glance over at her and laugh. “You have one of these at home,” I remind her, referring to Caleb’s pro-football star brother, Will, who is also Meg’s live-in boyfriend.

“And it’s a good thing he’s gone most of the day or I wouldn’t get anything done either.”

“It’s starting to rain,” Nat observes, but it doesn’t seem to faze Caleb. He lifts two thick, heavy ropes in both of his hands. The ends are attached to Nat’s photo studio out back. With a firm grip on the ropes, he begins to wave them up and down, quickly, the rain pounding down on him, causing his shirt to cling to every muscle as it flexes and moves with the motion of the exercise.

“Hot damn,” Nat whispers and I silently agree. He continues to pump his arms furiously, effortlessly. “What does that exercise do?” Nat asks.

“Works his arms, back and abdomen, and it’s cardio too,” Meg responds and takes a sip of coffee.

Just then, Caleb drops the ropes, bends down to grab onto a medicine ball and lowers his tall body to the sit-up position.

“Maybe he’ll bend over again,” I murmur, earning giggles from the other two women.

“It’s a good thing Jules isn’t here,” Nat mutters and licks her lips as her eyes watch Caleb hold the medicine ball over his head and easily raise and lower his torso in smooth sit-ups. “She’d never let us watch him like this.”

“Jesus, that medicine ball is fifty pounds,” Meg whispers, amazed.

“Watch this part,” I urge them as Caleb tosses the ball to the side like it’s a beach ball and assumes the push-up position and begins to perfectly execute the push-ups, easily completing more than a hundred of them in two minutes.

“Why aren’t you sleeping with him again?” Meg asks and I choke on my coffee.

“I might be,” I whisper and feel their astonished gazes on me, but I avoid them. “Don’t you dare breathe a word of that to anyone.”

“Who can blame you?” Nat asks just as Caleb stands and returns to the ropes. “Look at those back muscles.”

“Look at that ass,” Meg counters.

“You should see it naked,” I respond and we all giggle again.

“Should I be grossed out by this?” Nat asks, tilting her head to the side. “He’s practically my brother.”

“But he’s not your brother, Nat.” I remind her with a grin. “And the Montgomery men are freaking hot.”

“That’s no lie,” Meg agrees. “Aren’t you going to be late for work?” She asks me.

“I have a few minutes,” I murmur and feel the familiar pull low in my belly as I watch Caleb lay on the ground again and execute more perfect sit-ups with his medicine ball.

It would be the perfect position for me to ride him. I might have to suggest that tonight.

“He’s hardly panting,” I observe. “What kind of physical training must he go through to work that hard and have it hardly phase him?”

“Oh girl, you have no idea the rigorous training they go through to become SEALs. It’s not natural.” Nat shudders. “All of the boys have always been athletic.”

“Obviously,” I murmur sarcastically. “It’s a bit intimidating.”

“Caleb can be the scariest person on Earth if he’s pissed off,” Nat informs us, her eyes still glued to him. “He’s just big and strong, and damn intimidating.”

“You should see him with the girls.” I grin, remembering our movie night last week. “He’s funny and sweet.”

I realize the room has gone dead silent. I look over to my friends to find them looking at each other and then staring over at me. “What?”

“You’ve got it bad,” Nat remarks and snickers. “Welcome to the club.”

“What club?”

“The ‘I Love a Hot Man’ club, sweetheart.” Meg laughs and salutes me with her mug just as Caleb approaches the sliding door, frowning at me. I step back in surprise as the girls giggle.

“What’s wrong?” Caleb asks, is hair and clothes soaked and a little muddy from the rain and grass.

“Nothing,” I reply and shrug.

He narrows his eyes at me, watching me closely, then turns his gaze to Nat and Meg.

“What’s going on with you guys?”

“Nothing at all,” Nat replies with a huge grin. “Just girl talk.”

“Uh huh.” He props his hands on his lean hips and watches all three of us for a moment and then shrugs and saunters to the fridge to pull out a cold bottle of water. “We have to leave soon,” he reminds me.

Kristen is the author of the Amazon and USA Today bestselling With Me In Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.       Check out Kristen’s Website

Jessica Harper is the epitome of perfection. She’s a good daughter, makes excellent grades, and always strays on the safe side of life. The last thing she thought would ever happen was falling in love with her best friend’s brother. But sometimes fate just has a way of bringing two people together.

Wide receiver for the University of Arizona, Gabe Garcia, seems to have it all. When his feelings for Jessica come to surface, Gabe will give up everything to be with her.

But what happens when a tragedy abruptly changes the course of your life? For Jessica and Gabe, everything they thought they knew about each other will be questioned. Sometimes, there are scars in life that are cut too deep to completely heal.

Will their love prove to be unbreakable, or will it shatter and prove fate is just another lie?

*This book contains mature subject matter and is not intended for those under 17 years of age.*

My heart falls to my stomach when I see her slide into the driver’s seat. “Don’t go,” I whisper. “Love me enough to stay.” My head falls, and my chest is constricts. Tears are threatening to spill out of my eyes as I focus on the cement stairs I’m sitting on while the SUV that has my heart is driving away.

Unbreakable by Rebecca Shea

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

3.5 ‘Infragilis’ Kisses

Emotionally my heart is a freakin mess right now. My feelings are raw and I’m just all over the place. I was merrily reading Unbreakable when I got bitch slapped/blindsided/knocked on my ass around 50%. That’s fine – I’m cool with that, bring on the emotional turmoil – I love it when books do that to me. But…if only that’s where it stopped. Let’s see if I can make sense of the mess that is my brain + this book.

Jessica Louise Harper…what can I say about Jess. She’s a very well rounded girl given the fact that she grew up without her mother and her best friends family basically raised her. I can’t even imagine having the only other parent left in your life bury himself in work because he can’t cope. It’s hard…emotionally, mentally, all around suckville. Over the course of the book my love for Jess never wavered. My heart broke for her…I may not have agreed with some of the choices she made, but I couldn’t fault her for making them. I think a lot of it was also me remembering she’s very young…she’s just graduated high school/started college, and she has a lot of growing up to do. Regardless, it takes a very strong person to have lived the life that she has lived and I find her very brave.

‘Those lips will be my downfall.’

Gabriel Garcia – oh my dear sweetheart Gabe. This boy has the biggest heart…all he wants to do is love her. That’s all. He’s known her for 14-15 years and he knows this girl is it for him. There is no doubt in his mind and I felt that to my core. Jess has grown up with his little sister, like I said she practically lived with his family, so they don’t have to worry about the ‘getting to know you’ stage – they know each other! So what else is there to love about Gabe? He’s hot and sexy, he wants to be a firefighter and he’s so overly protective over Jess, it’s just melted my heart. He’s also got this caveman thing that comes out…mmmm…it’s good stuff. I don’t know how else to describe him…he says all the right things and aside from being a slight work-aholic, which there is a very good reason for that, he’s pretty freakin perfect IMO.

‘Leaning in, I press my lips to his and taste a slight hint of the beer he had been drinking minutes before.
“Thank you.”
“For what?” he asks.
“For loving me.”
“I’ll never not love you.” Those words melt me a little more every time he says them. I press another kiss to his mouth, this one a bit deeper and more aggressive.’

This book was a pretty emotional read for me. I really loved Jess and Gabe together. At times it was over the top and possibly bordering on a little cheesy, but it was still that give-you-a-big-goofy-grin-while-you-role-your-eyes cheesy. It didn’t bother me enough to stop me from liking the book. What did was how the ‘situation’ was handled, or rather not handled. (For the purposes of not spoiling, I cannot discuss what the ‘situation’ is.) I felt like ‘it’ was brushed over, never really discussed and I didn’t like that. At all. It was traumatic enough and I don’t need all the gory details but I don’t want to be left with questions either. But at the end of the day around 50% my heart was just shattered. And it just kept getting more painful.

‘I allow myself to cry again, not for me but for Jess. For that broken spirit I just left crying in her bathroom, for everything that has happened to her and everything I couldn’t do to protect her.’

I never lie about when books make me cry…I take it as a badge of honor that someone else’s words can evoke that kind of emotion from me. This is an usual type of cry. This is a heartbreaking cry because you’re dealing with the unfixable. No one is really in control of the situation. The people who are breaking had nothing to do with the cause. It’s sad because you cry for the injustice, you cry for the pain, and you cry cause you can’t do a fucking thing about it. I hurt for both of them. I understood both of them. It just hurt all around.

‘She reminds me a lot of myself, not long ago. I want to be spicy again. I want to be fun, and friendly, and eager.’

So…I can’t spoil…but basically Jess has to leave. For herself, for her education and future, and for many other reasons – she needs to leave California. The only good thing that comes out of this is the knowledge that Gabe isn’t the only piece of drool worthy candy in Unbreakable – SURPRISE! Trust me…it’s a happy surprise. At first, I felt like my eyebrows were going to go straight up my forehead and into the sky. You can’t get me invested in a couple like I did with Jess and Gabe and then just flick a switch and try to change the scenery on me. But if anyone can sway me…Landon Christianson…or Officer Christianson, would be the one to convince me to change my mind. First of all…he’s a cop…isn’t that the hottest thing ever? Mmm…handcuff’s, yes please. 😉 So clearly, he had me with the cop thing, but then the blue eyes, blonde hair, gorgeous body, tattoo’s, motorcycle – need I continue? He’s just allllll kinds of yummy. And he doesn’t do relationships…but he wants Jess. Here’s where my other red flag come in.

“What are you afraid of?” he asks me quietly, running his finger over the bandage on the inside of my wrist. Looking back to me, he waits for his answer.
My throat tightens as I form the words. “Everything. I’m afraid of everything. I’m afraid to feel again. Being numb is easy.” Now I’m the one looking out over the water, his grip on my hand tightens.
“Look at me.” I turn back to meet those perfect blue eyes. Were they are normally full of life, they are full of sadness and hurt. His day old stubble sits perfectly along his chiseled jaw line and around his chin and mouth. “Never be afraid to feel. It’s the only way to really live. If you don’t feel, there is no way you can love, heal, or forgive. You’ll never move forward or get past this. You have to forgive, Jess.”
“What if I’m not ready to forgive?”

The first half of the book is very well developed on the side of Gabe and Jess’s relationship – for obvious reasons, but…with Landon and Jess I feel like I got cheated. They spend a whole two months together during which Landon really develops feelings for Jess, this is completely opposite of his character BTW, but we don’t get to see any of it. I had a huge reader’s jump when he makes a statement how he feels – it’s was like Woah! Wait a minute…where did that come from and what did I miss over those two months?!?! Cause…damn, someone needs to fill me in. It seemed rushed to me. It was all logical, but for me it felt like I missed a few steps, if that makes any kind of sense.

‘The most important lessons I took away: it’s okay to hurt and to be broken, but it’s also imperative to forgive and heal. You have to feel to be able to love. But most importantly, every girl needs a tattooed bad boy to teach her to really live. That boy needs to kiss her like she’s never been kissed, to put her on the back of his motorcycle so she can feel the wind on her face and in her hair, take her for her first tattoo— and to let her go when he knows he’s not the man she really needs.’

End of the day…I did enjoy the book, I don’t want that to be mistaken, the characters and story line are completely solid and the emotions are there. It’s a beautiful story and I loved watching the growth that Jess had over the course of the book. And what makes Lisa the happiest book nerd in the world? When books turn into series!!!! Well…it’s not a ‘series’ but…that’s just semantics. Landon is getting his own book!!!! SQUEE!!!! Oh let me tell you how badly I want to read Landon’s book…just the taste of him in Unbreakable was enough to wet my appetite…I have a feeling I might need those handcuff’s to restrain me! 😛 Bring on Undone!

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Rebecca Shea lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her family and her first “kid” her beagle, Miles. From  the time Rebecca could read she has had a passion for reading and books. Rebecca spends her days working full-time in the financial industry as a marketing manager. Born and raised in Minnesota, Rebecca moved to Arizona in 1999 to escape the bitter winters. When not working or writing, she can be found on the sidelines of her boys football games, or watching her daughter at ballet class. Rebecca is fueled by insane amounts of coffee, margarita’s, Laffy Taffy (except the banana ones), and happily ever after’s.

Release Date: August 18th

The breathtaking conclusion to the USA Today best selling Alpha Group Series.

Who is Sebastian Lock?

The heart can lead you to dangerous places. Abandoned by the man she loves, with nothing more than sweet words and riddles for an explanation, Sophia Pearce felt like her life was crumbling before her eyes. And then they came for her. Now, things will never be the same.

Confronted with the truth about Sebastian’s identity, she’s thrust into a high stakes world beyond anything she could have imagined. A world that threatens much more than just her feelings. Sebastian’s enemies will stop at nothing to get what they want, and they want her.

The energy between them is as intense as ever, but as the danger mounts, and loyalties are tested, Sophia must answer one simple question. What is she willing to risk for love?

The third or fourth time I woke, it was with a sob. Moonlight cast the room as a series of jagged silhouettes, and despite knowing that I was somewhere safe, the unfamiliarity of my surroundings sent something sharp skittering through my chest. Suddenly, it felt like everything was closing in around me. I let out another cry and burrowed deeper under the covers, feeling fresh tears welling in my eyes. I didn’t want to be this person, this person who cried at shadows, but I didn’t know how to deal with the emotions that were roaring up inside me.

I felt another bolt of fear as I heard the door open, but in a moment there was a familiar weight on the bed, and then Sebastian’s arms were circling my body from behind.

“It’s okay,” he said softly. “Let it out.”

I have no idea how he knew I was in distress, but in spite of everything that was still unresolved between us, I loved that he’d come. The sheer strength of his presence dwarfed everything else, dulling the fear. He was like an anchor, and I clung on for dear life lest I slip back below the surface again.

He didn’t say anything else, and so neither did I, but just the act of being together was enough. I lay there, listening to the sound of his breathing, enjoying the sensation of that solid chest rising and falling against my back. Gradually, my turmoil began to dissipate. I had no idea how he had such a calming effect on me. When we were together, nothing else seemed to matter.

He felt like home, and for just that night, I pretended like he still was.

Check out my reviews for the first two books below!

♦Locked (book one): click here

♦Lockout (book 2): click here  

Maya is giving away 10 e-copies of Locked and Lockout!! To enter, click here or the Rafflecopter below!

Maya Cross is a writer who enjoys making people blush. Growing up with a mother who worked in a book store, she read a lot from a very young age, and soon enough picked up a pen of her own. She’s tried her hands at a whole variety of genres including horror, science fiction, and fantasy, but funnily enough, it was the sexy stuff that stuck. She has now started this pen name as an outlet for her spicier thoughts (they were starting to overflow). She likes her heroes strong but mysterious, her encounters sizzling, and her characters true to life.

She believes in writing familiar narratives told with a twist, so most of her stories will feel comfortable, but hopefully a little unique. Whatever genre she’s writing, finding a fascinating concept is the first, and most important step.

The Alpha Group is her first attempt at erotic romance.

When she’s not writing, she’s playing tennis, trawling her home town of Sydney for new inspiration, and drinking too much coffee.

**Connect with Maya**

For Allie Baxter, love was never something she had to worry about. She was loved by her friends, her family, her husband … until the day it was ripped away. Losing love was the deepest pain Allie had ever endured, and it was an agony she vowed to avoid feeling ever again. Crippled with guilt over her loss, for five years Allie served her self-appointed exile from the daily comforts offered by friends and family, only to return and attempt to fit herself back into their open arms—even if she knew she didn’t deserve it. Mike Lawson was not something Allie expected; the love of a man was not something Allie was prepared to want. The spark of desire that had long ago died inside her suddenly returned, bringing the memories of her pain with it. She swore she would never allow herself to love again … but how long could love be resisted?

Allie stepped out her front door and immediately missed the cool air-conditioned condo she just left. It took a moment to adjust to the heat in the air as she locked her front door. Southern California may not be hot and humid like the east coast, but this was a hot for San Diego in June. It should make for long afternoon at her nephews outdoor graduation. She was making her way down the steps when she heard her neighbor’s voice, “Well don’t you clean up nice.” She wasn’t expecting to run into Mike Lawson just yet, so it caught her totally off guard and she stopped abruptly. If she were being completely honest with herself, she had hoped to avoid him entirely—forever would be good—but since they were neighbors, it wasn’t a realistic expectation. Her need to avoid him and all of his hotness was becoming a strong necessity for her self-preservation.

His ability to melt her with only a smile was beginning to wear her down. Her only defense against him was to be snarky. Pulling her I’m-the-queen-bitch persona tightly around her, she turned to him, cocked her hip, and placed her fist appropriately as she said, “That implies that you think I look like shit the rest of the time, Lawson. You really need to work on how to compliment a lady.” Raising her eyebrows at him in challenge, she continued while gesturing to her entire body, “I’ll have you know, this is just another level of fabulous I’m demonstrating here.”

The man had the nerve to throw a huge grin her way, once again showing her that he was not fazed in the slightest by her snarky attitude. Just another reason to stay the hell away from the man, she thought as she finished making her way down the steps. It was becoming harder to ignore him on a physical level. Not to mention the fact that he made her belly flutter and her heart rate pick up when she saw him. Every time she thought about his effect on her, it pissed her off. She knew it was paramount to resist him at all costs.

What she really needed to do was move the hell out of the condo near his. The problem with that was, she loved her new place. Well, it wasn’t hers yet, but she planned on making an offer when the landlord’s lease was up. Even though she only found this place because of Mike, she secretly hoped he would randomly up and move, solving her problem immediately. She really wanted to stay there. It finally felt that she had come to a point where she was okay being alone, and she wasn’t living with a ghost anymore. It was almost like she had moved on … maybe a little bit … almost. But just because she felt that way, didn’t mean that she had moved on, moved on. That wasn’t about to happen, may never happen ever again … she couldn’t let it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by McHottness himself when he fell into step next to her and said, “Maybe so, but then how else would I get that fire snapping in your eyes? Mission accomplished if you ask me.” Shocked by his blatant admittance that he was trying to rile her up, she swung her head his direction to say something when he winked at her. Once again shocking her and rendering her temporarily speechless. She was this close to kicking him in the shin when he continued, “I take it you are on your way to the graduation as well. Want a lift?”

Thankful for his question to bring her out of her shocked moment, she said. “A lift? It’s more like a hoist. I need a damn trampoline to get up into that truck of yours.” And as if the great Gods of Nastiness were smiling down on her, she snatched the opportunity to up her game from snarky to bitchy. “Just what kind of message are you trying to put out there anyway? Everyone knows a big truck like that only says the owner suffers from little dick complex.”

They were walking and had made their way around back to where the garages were located so she didn’t see, only heard him huff a laugh before saying. “There certainly is no little dick to have a complex about. I assure you …” He mumbled something at the end, but she didn’t catch it. Not wanting to prolong the conversation she ignored the desire to ask him to repeat himself. Pointing her keys at the shiny red Mini-Cooper to unlock it when Mike popped the bottom of her outstretched hand, causing her keys to fly up in the air.

As soon as they were airborne, he reached out and grabbed them before she could process what was happening. Shocked again, she looked over at him only to see that damn smile once more before snarling at him, “What the hell did you do that for?”

“I offered you a ride, you didn’t decline, only mocked my truck. Therefore, by not rejecting it, you inadvertently accepted it.” He shrugged, smiled bigger, and finished with, “Well, at least in my book you did, so get in the truck, Baxter.” Turning away from her, he walked toward his truck, her keys in hand. Still a little startled at his maneuver to get her keys, yet slightly impressed since it was something she would do, she stood there and watched as he made his way to the oversized truck. When he stopped at the passenger door and looked back at her, he laughed and said, “Oh come on, I’ll give you a boost. And I won’t even try to look up your skirt … scouts’ honor.”

Shaking her head, she made her way toward him as she grumbled, “Is that the box-car-building kind of scout or the cookie-peddling ones? I bet you probably looked great in that green sash.” Tossing her purse on the floorboard of the truck, she reached up and grabbed the handle to lift herself in but turned her head and looked back at him over her shoulder. “I bet the little beret looked good, too.”

Feeling like she had been bitchy enough to make him not want to have her for company, she turned back to the open truck door. Preparing to jump in, she let out a squeal when Mike’s big hands wrapped around her waist and hefted her effortlessly into the cab. Turning quickly to glare down at him for doing such a thing, she only met his intent stare as he said, “I look good in anything I wear sweetheart. Now buckle up, wouldn’t want you to fall out or anything.” And then he closed the door.

Melanie is an amazing mother of four, an awesome and tolerant wife to one, and nurse to many. If you don’t believe her, just ask anyone in her family, they know what to say. She is also a devoted chauffeur, the keeper of missing socks, a genius according to a six year old, the coolest soccer uniform coordinator according to a twelve year old, and the best damn ‘mac-n-cheese-with-cut-up-hot-dog maker in the whole world. Well that last title isn’t really official, but it’s still pretty cool to be called it.

When not being ordered around by any of the kids, you can find her with her nose in a book or on the sideline of a soccer game cheering on one team or another. But that’s mostly because she has a thing for the coach. When she is not doing all of the above, you can find her obsessed with a group of fictional characters all vying for a spot on the page of whatever she’s working on. It’s a fun and crazy life to lead, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

Author:    MJ Abraham
Title:     Resplendent
Release Date:     July 28, 2013
Genre:     Contemporary Romance, Chicklit

Savannah Martinez and Andres Rivera have been friends since high school.
She knew him better than anyone else, and he was the only one she ever confided in.
Their friendship was the one brilliant thing they each cherished that wasn’t tarnished by outside forces that wanted them apart.
But fate wasn’t on their side. When she gave him the chance to turn their relationship into something more, he let her go.
Heartbroken and alone, she kept her distance in more ways than one. Now, years later, Savannah is back in town for good and Andres realizes just how empty his life has been without her.
When a secret comes to light, forcing a deeper wedge between them, Andres finds himself fighting for the only woman he has ever loved. Determined to fix the past and make things right, he will go to any length to prove to Savannah that they were meant to be together.
Will fate give them a second chance? Or will those secrets and betrayals ruin the one last chance Andres has of being with the woman of his dreams?

When I made my way back from the lobby, I placed my drink down at an empty cocktail table and watched her.

She was on her second glass of wine and standing in front of the same sexy photograph we had seen earlier, but now she was talking to some asshole. A tall, young, clearly not happily gay guy, and it was irritating to watch. How long had he been trying to weasel his way in? He probably thought he’d be getting lucky tonight. He was eyeballing her in that fucking short as shit dress. Why wasn’t she wearing my jacket? I should’ve given it to her before I walked away. I leave her out of my sight for five minutes and already the vultures are swooping in, waiting to attack. He whispered something to her and she tilted her head back and laughed. Do you think he’s funny, Peach? She was eating up whatever crap he was feeding her! She was a smart girl. She had more common sense than to listen to whatever panty dropping lines he was feeding her. Right? I took another sip of my drink and ran my finger over the rim of the glass.

“Well, aren’t you Mr. Tall, Handsome, and Brooding.” I heard a female voice say next to me.

I looked down to see a short, skinny chick in a sparkly red dress. The front was low enough that I could see the curve of her tits. She glanced down to follow my eyes and smirked.

“Eyes up here, handsome,” she said.

Then why are you wearing that dress?

When I looked back at Peach, our eyes met. She looked almost … disappointed? In what?

“There’s a sushi bar here. We can go and have a drink if you want?” Red Dress explained.

My eyes were still on Peach, and when I saw the guy reach up to tug on one of Peach’s curls, my blood went into overdrive. I crumpled a cocktail napkin in my hand. I’d had just about enough of this loser.

I finished off the rest of my drink and set the glass and napkin down.

“Sorry, sweetheart, I have other plans.” I walked right up to Peach, placed my hand on her waist and leaned in to kiss her shoulder.

“Walk with me?” I asked, looking down at her.

The guy narrowed his eyes on my hands but then handed her a business card. “Let me know, gorgeous,” he said before he turned to leave.

“Let him know what exactly?” I asked her and squeezed her waist lightly. A waitress came by with a tray, and Peach placed her empty glass on top.

“He helps Mr. Di Angelo scout for models.” She smiled shyly and put the card in her purse.

“Well, aren’t you friendly,” I told her, annoyed.

She turned her head slightly to look back at the photograph. “What is it, Dre? You don’t want me, but no one else can have me either?”

What? She couldn’t possibly be serious about me not wanting her. I wanted her with every fiber of my being.

I ran my tongue along my bottom lip and grabbed her hand. “Come with me,” I said and held out my hand for her to grab.

“Go where?” she asked, warily. I wasn’t going to let her go without a fight. I reached my hand up and traced her cheek with the back of my hand, pausing in front of her lips. Her breathing faltered and she walked past me.

I placed my hand on the small of her back, and we walked into the lobby and toward the elevators.

I reached for her hand and brushed it over the front of my pants. “So does it feel like I don’t want you?”

Like spending money on Amazon?  How about coffee to go along with a good book?  Well, MJ is giving away a $75 Amazon Gift Card and a $25 Starbuck’s Gift Card! Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway or click the logo below.

MJ Abraham lives in bipolar weather Florida with a husband that makes her laugh and a superhero son that calls her his Princess. She has a degree in Business Administration from Nova University but finds the people in her head to be much more interesting. She is a lover of clever words, reading way past her bedtime, and zombies. She may or may not be as random as her bio.

What happens when you create rules to keep others out?

 

One thing Emerson Moore has come to terms with is that she is the school slut. She knows her way around a frat house and how to get what she wants. She doesn’t make any excuses for her actions and she doesn’t pretend to be anything different. She is who she is and with that she knows how to have a good time. She’s made rules to keep relationships at bay and avoid the demons of her past.

When her best friend, Cole has his two friends from back home move in with him she begins to think she has met her match with Jaxon Riley. Jax is the perfect mixture of tattooed muscle and a sweet-talking mouth. With “hand” written notes, a voice that exudes sex and knowing just how to get under her skin, Jaxon learns how to break all the rules.

But will he just end up breaking her heart anyway?

Beautiful Broken Rules by Kimberly Lauren

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4.5 “Beautiful” “You don’t walk away from your heart.” Kisses

OMFG I loved this book. Like really, truly, to the depths of my heart, really loved it. It sucked me in from the first line and didn’t let me go until the final click. And even now…I don’t want it to be over! It was the perfection combination of all the little things that I really like in a book, smashed into a blender and then poured out for my delicious enjoyment. Great story line, amazing characters, humor, angst, hotness…everything! And then some! And I enjoyed the hell out of it. Wow…I sound like a blubbering idiot already!

Emerson Moore has officially gained herself a place in the prestigious ‘I want you to be my new bff’s category. I. love. Her. When one of the first few sentences I read is her straight up calling herself a ‘sluf’ – I want to high five her, hug her and then hang out with her forever and ever amen. Judge me all you want – I’m a full on supporter of women fighting against the double standard…if men get to sleep around, so should women! Be safe and have fun – cause seriously, sex is fun! Alright…hopping off of my soap box, I shall continue on with my pledge of love for my dear sweet Emmy. Why else do I love her besides the fact that she is a slut? She’s blonde (yes I am that superficial). Do we need to have anything else more in common? More proof that she and I were meant to be bff’s. She’s just couldn’t get any more awesome…until she sealed the deal and fell for a Texas Boy. Yup…she and I have way too much in common.

‘One thing I know for sure and have come to terms with – I’m the school slut.’

Jaxon FREAKIN Riley…oh my goodness where have you been all my life? The list of the reasons I love Jax is long…but I must state them:
1.) Tall
2.) Dark Hair
3.) Gorgeous Blue Eyes
4.) Deep Sexy Voice
5.) He has an equally drop dead gorgeous TWIN! (WOOOO!)
6.) His one ‘flaw’ is a slightly crooked tooth (don’t ask me why I thought this was cute!)
7.) Super sexy tattoo
8.) Star Football Player
9.) Has a motorcycle…
10.) And a big sexy Truck
11.) And an old school Camaro
12.) And the best reason EVER….he’s from Texas!

“I don’t need a protector, okay?” I breathed.
“I’m trying my fucking hardest here, Beautiful.”

Jaxon is just…amazing. He will only call her Emerson, can I just say how much I love that? Everyone calls her Em or Emmy…not Jax – nope! Only Emerson. *sigh* There is so much more about him that I loved…he writes notes on her palm, he is so ‘caveman style’ protective over her and he just says the most swoony things. He just moved from Texas to California to go to college and play football and he just so happens to also be best friends with Cole, Em’s best friend. They live next door to each other. Have classes together. You can see what’s going on here…the possibilities are endless. And FYI the ‘possibilities’ are amazing.

“Emerson, I would never judge you. I, of all people, have no place to judge. I don’t care what you’ve done,” he said, looking into my eyes.
“It’s okay, everyone does. I understand what people think of me.”
“If they think you are beautiful, feisty, and brilliant, then I would agree with them. Anything else, I don’t care about.”

The little ‘five-some’ group they had going on – brilliance! I love it, I want to be a part of it – where can I find one? I need that in my life right now. So…it’s Em, Quinn (her sister, which I will come back to), Cole, Jaxon and Jace (Jackson’s identical twin I mentioned earlier). So Quinn is ‘technically’ Em’s step-sister, Quinn’s mom married Em’s dad, but they are so close and only 35 days apart in age, so they don’t even consider the ‘step’ anymore. Cole has been Em and Quinn’s best friend since freshman year – they all have a very close friendship, which is interesting especially for the ‘school slut’ but I loved Cole and Em – it was very much a big brother/little sister kind of thing. Which Emerson needs those realtionships, badly.

‘“Fuck, I’m living every guys dream right now. Two girls in my bedroom helping each other out of their clothes,” Cole laughed.
“Yeah, except there’s no way you’re getting laid tonight.” Quinn winked at him.
“And… my bubble gets popped,” he groaned sarcastically.’

Why does she need them? Because her parents died in a car accident together when she was 15. That by itself is a big freakin deal, but it gets worse. Because of that one little incident, she based living her life on 3 simple rules.

‘I have three rules: never sleep with someone that a friend has feelings for, never sleep with someone who is in a known relationship (when this isn’t disclosed to me, it is not my fault), and finally, never sleep with someone more than three times.’

No biggie right? HA! I think what I love/hate/loved to hate about this book was the level of angst. Miss. Lauren kept it up there for a good majority of the book. She’d soften my heart, give me little pieces of reprieve but not for long. And then I got slapped in the face at 78% when I’m just flat out bawling like a baby because it hurts so much, I just don’t even wanna keep going. But I did…slowly and with trepidation. And it was worth it. 🙂

“Emerson, you’re amazing. I still can’t believe I found you. Promise you’ll stay.”
“I promise I breathed. “Promise you’ll stay patient with me.” I trailed kisses down his jaw.
“I promise, he replied. “I need you in my life.”
“You have me.”

So the book is told entirely from Emmy’s POV. Loved it. Until I read the epilogue and got…*suspenseful pause*….JAXON’S POV!!!!! Oh…My…GAWD. I want more. That was not enough. We got glimpses into his thoughts about their past, but it wasn’t enough. So the book ends HEA…everyone is happy, but it doesn’t feel ‘over’. It almost felt like there is a ‘…’ at the end, where the possibility of more exists but if not we’re all still happy little campers where BBR ended. I will always want more from a book I love. So…I. Want. More. I want to know Jaxon and Emerson’s final ending. I want to know what happens with Cole and Quinn (GOD would I love their story – there was a conversation they had when they got together…I MUST know what was said!!!) and then of course there is poor Jace…he needs an HEA too! So while I am happy, I will still leave my fingers crossed for possibilities. 🙂

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Kimberly is giving away 4 $25 Amazon Gift Cards Each  and 2 signed paperbacks (US Only) Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway or click the logo below.

I’m a wanderer, an adventurer, a traveler.

I want to see it all. I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my list.

“She travels the world & home is always in her heart.”

Lately if I’m not traveling or chasing a toddler, I’m writing. Which is weird because I hated writing in college. Oh wait, that’s because that was boring. Who really wants to sit there and cite all your sources into APA format? Not this girl. Writing for yourself is enjoyable and cathartic. Please try it. Then tell me about because I love indie authors.

When I was 19, I packed up and followed my high school sweetheart from Texas to California. We had a blast living it up in San Diego. Four years later we made a crazy decision and packed up again and moved to Germany. What? Yep, you read that right. Guess what? Best decision ever! We OWNED Europe. For three years we saw as much as we possibly could. We lived an hour outside of France, a couple from Switzerland and Italy. Most amazing time of my life. Please go out there and see the world, you won’t regret it. After Europe we moved back to California, and for now we’re just debating our next adventure.

I earned a degree in Child Development. And now I write novels. Makes perfect sense! I write because I walk around all day with these stories in my head. It’s nice to be able to get them out of my head in an organized fashion. I hope that someone out there enjoys them, because I have enjoyed so many others’.

Title:    Branded (A Sinners Series, 1)

Author:    Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Release Date:    June 28, 2013

Genre:    Mature YA/NA, Dystopian

Tour Host:    Lady Amber’s Tours

Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

Branded by Abi Ketner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 “You can overcome anything…short of death.” Kisses

I am a romantic girl at heart, but every now and then it’s nice to change it up. Different is just one of the words I would choose to describe Branded . Just one, mind you. It’s a complete change up from the regular books that I read and I don’t think I realized how badly I needed to read this book. It’s an emotional read, it’s a gut wrenching read and for me, it was kind of a mind-fuck if you will. I’ll explain….

Lexi Hamilton….she was named after Lexington Bay. A beautiful girl with turquoise eyes, left to suffer in a horrible, disgusting world that only makes her suffer. We start off the book with her almost committing suicide – see? Told ya…mind-fuck! From the get go. But she’s a fighter. She has no one, her father died, he brother left, never to be heard from again, her mother is so drugged up and her step father has all but turned her mother against her anyways. And her step father…*shivers* (and not the good kind of shivers)…he’s the lowest of low. Worst human in existence. And as if that’s not enough, now she is a ‘sinner’ – life’s just peachy, right? So, when I say this girl has more strength in her pinky than most people do in their whole body, it’s not an understatement. Grown men have crumbled from far less than what she has endured – and yet she still manages to keep going.

‘You can overcome anything…short of death.”

Lexi is sent to ‘the Hole’ where all the sinners go. Her sin? Lust…but she’s innocent. Of course she is…but what’s the use? The system is not made up to protect the innocent and punish the guilty, it is made up to create fear and abuse control. Because that’s the whole point. Before the war, before the Hole, before the sinners even existed, the system wasn’t perfect, what system is? But this? This is madness, it’s sick and twisted, and it’s one man controlling thousands, because he can. Makes me want to crawl out of my skin because it’s so scary how real this could possibly be. So the sinners are branded, literally, like fucking cattle – once more example of the ‘mind-fuck’.

‘The Seven Deadly Sins:
Lust – Blue
Gluttony – Orange
Greed – Yellow
Sloth – Black
Wrath – Red
Envy – Green
Pride – Purple’

Cole is a hard nut to crack, he’s very complex. He’s a guard. Guard’s are a few steps away from being not human. They are raised differently, trained differently, they think differently – it’s not a life any normal person would want to live. It’s not an easy life…by far. For whatever reason, he is chosen and his job is to guard Lexi – protect her, keep her safe no matter what the cost, even if that means sacrificing his own life, and Cole doesn’t take his job lightly at all. He does it very well. And all the while, you watch him morph from the guard he has had to be for so long into the man that has always been behind the layers. Layers that only Lexi has the ability to melt away.

‘He puts his fingers under my chin and tilts my head back until we’re eye to eye.
“I want you to trust me. Can you do that?”
“I already do,” I say.
I can’t believe I just said that. I don’t trust anyone.’

So does Branded have romance in it? Yes…what’s even better is that it’s ‘forbidden romance’. Guards are not supposed to have emotions period but a guard falling in love with a sinner. Pssh! Yeah…that just doesn’t happen and when it does and they get caught…well, it’s just bad. So, yes there is romance but it’s minor to all of the rest of the story. You’re so focused on Lexi and her struggles, her battle to stay alive and cope with everything that is going on around her. There are also other relationships that to me are just as important as hers and Cole’s, if not maybe more so. That’s really hard for me to say, btw! She befriends a sick girl named Alyssa at the hospital where she works. Alyssa is terminal and there is nothing anyone can do about it except try and make her last few days comfortable – which even that is a tough job because pain medicine isn’t exactly a high commodity in a place where people are meant to suffer. Alyssa is a 13 year old girl that never got to be young since she’s been in the Hole since she was 8. The friendship that Alyssa and Lexi make is…in the middle of all the pain, death and the heart breaking things around them…it’s just beautiful.

‘She looks at me with an anxious expression. “I promised you I’d come back. I’ve never gone back on a promise and I’m sure not going to go back on one now.” It’s true. I don’t. I’ve had so many broken promises in my life I could never do that to anyone.’

Then there is also Sutton, the doctor and head of the hospital. I can’t lie, in the beginning I was worried – because it’s the Hole, you have to be worried about everyone, nobody does something nice without there being consequences or ulterior motives, but I’m not sure at what point but it finally clicked with me that Sutton was actually one of the good and decent people left in that place. And of course I can’t forget Zeus. Zeus the goofy ass guard dog and pretty much the main reason why you don’t slit your wrist from the sadness, pain and angst of this book. He is loyal to two people…Cole and Lexi – but in all seriousness, he loves Lexi more (it’s so freakin cute!).

‘In the relative safety of the elevator, I can’t hold it in any longer. “I can’t believe he killed her. Why would he kill her? If he loved her—”
“Because he loved her.” Cole cuts me off. Without any invitation, he keeps talking. “Everyone’s known about Mac and Claire for a while. Mac’s been a friend of mine since we joined the guards. I have no doubt he did it because he loved her. He knew they’d torture her just to break him. And they’d do it in front of him.” Cole pauses and closes his eyes for a moment. “He killed her out of love. The very love that most of us will never feel because we aren’t allowed.”

The entire book is told from Lexi’s POV and Missy and Abi did an amazing job with painting a very descriptive picture. You feel like you are seeing everything thru Lexi’s eyes, experiencing what she is experiencing – every little detail, from the smells, to the sounds, to the emotions – not one detail is spared. I really appreciated that, because that’s part of what made me love the Hunger Games series so much. I hate to compare the two, but they do have a lot in common – I just feel that with the content that is in Branded it’s much better suited to an older audience – which isn’t a bad thing, at all. It’s just a little harsher – deals with more adult things. The only part that got me was the last 30%, for me, it felt a little rushed. It was really little stuff, but I felt like some of the details that I appreciated during the first 3/4ths of the book were lacking and it broke the flow of me reading. The emotion and content was still there, so I still enjoyed it but it was enough for me to take notice of it.

‘“I hate it when you leave, and that scares me too.” I face him and our eyes meet. I see the conflict between his duty and his feelings mirrored in his face. His dark eyes flitter in the light. The hand with the bloody knuckles rubs my shoulder, my arm, and then he touches my chin.
I want more. So much more. ‘

This book made me think…a lot. I think what gets me the most is that, yes…in excess Lust, Greed, Pride, etc., are and can be sins – but that does not mean we’re not allowed to experience those emotions. I cannot imagine the mindless zombies that would walk around if we weren’t allowed to express, feel and have emotions – how boring can you get?? It’s not allowing those emotions take you over, control your life and make you do evil/horrible/wrong things that separates us from the ‘bad people’. Having those emotions doesn’t make you a ‘sinner’, letting them control you does. Thank GOD I’m allowed to lust over a good book boyfriend and not be branded a sinner, cause I would have been locked up years ago! 😛

“You’re amazing just the way you are. There’s not a single thing I would change about you. When you smile my entire world stops. All I see if you. I need you.”
My head shakes back and forth, willing his words away. If he keeps this up, I don’t know if my promise to Sutton will stick. “No, you don’t. You have to stop.”
“I wish I knew how.” His arms break away from me, and he steps back. “You’re the last person I ever wanted to fall for.”

So, thank GOD Branded did not end in a cliffhanger, I don’t think my poor little battered and bruised heart could have handled it. It was torture enough dealing with all the ups and (mostly) downs of what was happening to the characters…but it did have me on the edge of my seat there for a while…I really wasn’t sure. So while it’s not a cliff…there is still a lot that needs to happen before this story is complete. Lexi and Cole have a long way to go before they get their HEA and I’m very intrigued to see what is going to happen. This book kept my emotions on high alert and me biting my nails and wondering what was going to happen next, so I can’t even fathom what is in store for book #2. 🙂

*ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for Honest Review*

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Chapter One

I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams.

The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough. My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back.

Death and I glare at each other through my tears.

            I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here.

I’m ready to go. On the count of three.

            I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.

A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand waiting with the rope hanging around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls.

            Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head.

Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home.

It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me.

My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name.

 On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.

            Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.

            “Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners.

            Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying.

Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now.

My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest.

Gotta keep going.

“Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me.

I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost.

            My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.

I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped.

Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.

            “You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.”

I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them, even as I shiver with fear.

“There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says.

I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care.

The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms.

Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes. My dignity is all I have left. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts.

 Did they need so many guards to capture me?

 I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that.

The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass, and the air grows warmer, more humid the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade.

To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does.

“All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told.

“You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face.

 Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him.

            They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole.

Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation.

I lose myself in thoughts of my father.

“Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love.

“Get out,” the guard says while pulling me to my feet. The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness.

The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. I’ve been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line, and I realize I’m not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white with fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip.

 I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying.

“Spread your legs,” one of the guards says.

They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body.

What do they think I can possibly be hiding? I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me.

“MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens.

“Lexi Hamilton.”

            A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks.

“Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.”

A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck.

Click. Click. Click.

The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me.

The Seven Deadly Sins:

Lust – Blue

Gluttony – Orange

Greed – Yellow

Sloth – Black

Wrath – Red

Envy – Green

Pride – Purple

 “Memorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.”

Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks.

“GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar.

He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me, and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out.

Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual.

I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor.

“Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire up from my neck to my jaw, making me wince.

He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my clothes and pulling the shirt over my head, I try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name.

“Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says.

I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand.

“Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg.

 “My father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me.

“It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand and said, “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving.

You can overcome anything… short of death.

 “You’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?”

A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist.

“Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance.

“What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?”

“Nothing,” I respond, confused.

“What color are they?”

“Turquoise.” I glower at him.

“Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.”

Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can’t take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand.

“Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside.

“You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead in the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk.

 “Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.

“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute.

“Let’s move,” Cole says.

I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.

Abi Ketner Is a registered nurse with a passion for novels, the beaches of St. John, and her Philadelphia Phillies. A talented singer, Abi loves to go running and spend lots of time with her family. She currently resides in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, triplet daughters and two very spoiled dogs.

Melissa Kalicicki received her bachelor’s degree from Millersville University in 2003. She married, had two boys and currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Aside from reading and writing, her interests include running and mixed martial arts. She also remains an avid Cleveland sports fan.

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.